Federal authorities have filed charges for six Chinese nationals in an alleged scheme to steal valuable corn seeds from U.S. seed manufacturing companies for the benefit of their China-based seed companies. Mo Hailong, Li Shaoming, Wang Lei, Wang Hongwei, Ye Jian and Lin Yong each have been indicted on conspiring to steal trade secrets from U.S. seed companies, according to an indictment filed on Tuesday in the U.S. Southern District Court of Iowa. Mo was detained last week, but the others remain at large, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Southern District Court.

Six Chinese nationals have been charged with conspiring to steal US trade secrets in an alleged plot to obtain bioengineered corn seed from American seed companies and send it to their own company in China. The case was revealed in a one-count, 21-page indictment unsealed Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa. According to documents filed in federal court, the Chinese company officials allegedly drove through rural areas of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana to dig up freshly planted seeds or collect samples of grown corn to obtain specimens of the valuable engineered seed stock. The seeds represent years of work by American...

<p>The US Supreme Court ruled in favor of Monsanto Monday over an Indiana farmer accused of having pirated the genetically-modified crops developed by the agribusiness giant.</p>
<p>The high court was unanimous in its decision, ruling that laws limiting patents do "not permit a farmer to reproduce patented seeds through planting and harvesting without the patent holder's permission."</p>

How many of you have flower or vegetable gardens at your home? I know many people are growing their own herbs to use for cooking as well as indoor and outdoor vegetable gardens. Others have flowers in pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, in flower beds and outdoor gardens.My wife and I have a number of vegetables and fruit growing outside which include apples (2 varieties), beans (purple and wax), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupes, carrots, cherries, cucumbers (bush), grapes (5 varieties), onions (red), peas (green and snap), potatoes (3 varieties), sage, radishes, tomatoes (6 varieties), and watermelons (3 varieties). We also...

Garden Rebels: 10 Ways To Sow Revolution In Your Own Back Yard Daisy Luther May 9th, 2013 The Organic Prepper Sometimes I think that the next Revolutionary War will take place in a vegetable garden. Instead of bullets, there will be seeds. Instead of chemical warfare, there will be rainwater, carefully collected from the gutters of the house. Instead of soldiers in body armor and helmets, there will be back yard rebels, with bare feet, cut-off jean shorts, and wide-brimmed hats. Instead of death, there will be life, sustained by a harvest of home-grown produce. Children will be witness to...

The European Commission is proposing legislation that would have the government regulate what can be planted to its “tested, approved and accepted” list of seeds. Some worry the legislation, in addition to being over-regulation by the government, would lead to less biodiversity and that it could set a precedent that could someday criminalize the average gardener planting so-called banned seeds. According to the European Commission, the Plant Reproductive Material Law seeks to update existing legislation by cutting down 70 pieces of law to five and reducing “the red-tape on processes and procedures for farmers, breeders and food business operators (producers,...

WASHINGTON, DC - President Barack Obama signed a spending bill, HR 933, into law, the "Monsanto Protection Act," that strips federal courts of the authority to immediately halt the planting and sale of genetically modified (GMO) seed crop regardless of any consumer health concerns. "The provision would strip federal courts of the authority to halt the sale and planting of an illegal, potentially hazardous GE crop while the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) assesses those potential hazards," explains a letter to the House that has been signed by dozens of food businesses and retailers, as well as interest groups and...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread ... there is no telling where it will go and...

Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan) Infiltration and Influence in America "Allah is our goal; the Messenger is our model; the Koran is our constitution; jihad is our means; and martyrdom in the way of Allah is our aspiration." "It is the nature of Islam to dominate, not to be dominated, to impose its law on all nations and to extend its power to the entire planet." --Hasan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood What the Muslim Brotherhood means for the US: Memo lays bare group's plans to destroy U.S. from within By Ron Dreher, Dallas Morning News "Our strategy...

The case for mandatory GMO labeling - even if you believe in limited government and the free market (NaturalNews) Now that the GMO labeling ballot measure has been officially accepted onto the California ballot, Monsanto is gearing up its propaganda campaign that aims to convince people you don't need to know what you're eating! Trust us, we're the food companies! We never lie, do we? For the record, I'm an opponent of most government mandates against individuals. When the government says you have to give your children vaccine shots, that's a violation of your liberty. When Mayor Bloomberg says you...

Request by First Lady for shamrock seeds for her garden Michelle Obama, has requested shamrock seeds to begin growing Ireland’s national plant in the White House garden. Living Shamrock, the company that grows the shamrock that the Irish Prime Minster gives to the US president every year on St.Patrick’s Day has received a request from the First Lady to grow her own for next year. The shamrock presented to the president is always destroyed afterwards because of security protocol. The shamrock for the White House is grown in County Kerry in a unique, soil-free environment. "Our shamrock is grown in...

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the “lame duck” Congress, another law was passed that didn’t quite get the same media coverage as the Bush tax extension “package,” the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and the new START treaty. The Food Safety Modernization Act was not steeped in the same level of popular controversy as these other pieces of legislation. Nevertheless, its passage may affect our daily lives even more than these, and in a rather stealth manner. Yes, the week before Christmas, the 111th Congress of the United States gave Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services...

Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010 Senate Bill 510, that is set to come up for a vote this weekend is being called by some as the most dangerous bill in the history of the US. Essentially it is to our food what the bailouts were to the economy, the only difference being we can live without money. “If accepted [S 510] would preclude the public’s right to grow, own, trade, transport, share, feed and eat each and every food that nature makes. It will become the most offensive authority against the cultivation, trade and consumption of food and agricultural...

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/February/10-at-182.html NOTE: The following text SNIPPET is a quote: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Department of Justice and USDA Workshops to Explore Competition and Regulatory Issues in the Agriculture Industry to Begin March 12 in Iowa Initial Workshop to Be Held in Ankeny, Iowa, at Des Moines Area Community College, FFA Enrichment Center WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the agenda and panelists for the first joint public workshop, which will be held on March 12, 2010, in Ankeny, Iowa, to explore competition and regulatory issues in the agriculture...

NOTE The following text is a quote: www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-obama-and-president-medvedev-russia-us-russia-business-summit Home • Briefing Room • Speeches & Remarks The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release June 24, 2010 Remarks by President Obama and President Medvedev of Russia at the U.S.-Russia Business Summit U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 3:08 P.M. EDT PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, good afternoon, everybody. It is a pleasure to be here with my friend and partner, President Medvedev, and I want to thank him again for his leadership, especially his vision for an innovative Russia that’s modernizing its economy, including deeper economic ties between our...

Note: Other gardening articles and videos at the link. How to Grow Your Own Bird Seed in the Garden Member By Gardengates, eHow Member SNIPPET: "How to grow your own bird seed in the garden Watching wild birds is fascinating and delightful. People fill bird feeders in the garden to bring these colorful feathered friends into view. But you can attract your own birds by growing colorful flowers in your garden that will produce their favorite seeds. Here are some ideas on how to grow your own bird seed in the garden." Difficulty: Easy

DES MOINES, Iowa - Dreaming of biting into a garden-fresh cucumber sandwich this summer? Better order your seeds now. A poor growing season last year and increased orders from Europe could make it difficult for home gardeners to get seeds for the most popular cucumber variety and some vegetables this spring. Farmers, who usually grow different varieties than home gardeners, aren't likely to be affected.

A Seed Shortage May Come In 2010 By SUSAN REIMER THE BALTIMORE SUN Jan. 11, 2010, 10:39AM Will there be a shortage of vegetable seeds for gardeners in 2010? It is possible, says Barbara Melera, owner of the oldest seed house in the country, D. Landreth Seeds, formerly of Baltimore and now of New Freedom, Pa. After back-to-back good years — 2008's salmonella scares and 2009's poor economy send homeowners into the garden to grow their own food — you might expect a backslide in seed sales, Melera said. New gardeners get discouraged or bored. But, she said, “In 2009,...

Sgt. 1st Class Cliff Knight plans to take part of Alabama to Baghdad when he leaves for a yearlong tour of duty early next year. He's going to take watermelon seeds and see if they will sprout in the Iraqi soil. "I've already got my seeds picked out and look forward to getting them to grow," said Knight, a member of the 441st Ordnance Battalion with the Alabama Army National Guard. He lives in Decatur. Knight, 42, grows prize-winning watermelons, with some coming in at more than 130 pounds. An explosive ordnance disposal technician by trade, Knight will "mostly be...

I figured since I had two questions, I'd combine them into one thread to make my referencing simpler and one less for everyone to look at. :) How does one truly know if a site that sells heirloom seeds is REALLY selling heirloom seeds? That's my 'caveat emptor' question. Secondly, I'm needing a cleaning kit for my carbine, but the non-specialty stores seem to have just American standard caliber kits. IIRC, isn't .308 the same as 7.62mm in diameter? Thanks for your help!

UN chief Ban Ki-moon visited Wednesday a vault carved into the Arctic permafrost, filled with samples of the world's most important seeds in case food crops are wiped out by a catastrophe. "The world faces many daunting challenges today, one of the greatest of which is how to feed a growing population in the context of climate change," a bundled-up Ban told reporters after he toured the site in the Svalbard archipelago some 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) from the North Pole. "The seeds stored here in Svalbard will help us do just that. Sustainable food production may not begin in...

Sky Saxon, founder of the brilliant ’60s garage band the Seeds, died Thursday morning at St. David’s Hospital. The newly minted Austinite, born Richard Marsh, was hospitalized Monday with what doctors suspected was an infection of the internal organs, but cause of death has not yet been released. Saxon fell ill last Thursday, but performed at Saturday at Antone’s with recent Austin collaborators Shapes Have Fangs. Sky’s wife Sabrina Saxon posted news of his passing on Facebook this morning: “Sky has passed over and YaHoWha is waiting for him at the gate. He will soon be home with his Father....

You probably played with them for hours — the seed pods of maple trees, slowly twirling and hovering like helicopters before falling to the ground. The mechanism that causes "helicopter seeds" to spin has been a mystery, until now — a new study has found that the aerodynamics that keep these seeds aloft also allow certain insects, bats and hummingbirds to hover. A team of Dutch and American scientists from Wageningen University and Caltech measured the flow of air created by swirling seeds by creating plastic models of the seeds and spinning them through a large tank of mineral oil...

South African farmers suffered millions of dollars in lost income when 82,000 hectares of genetically-manipulated corn (maize) failed to produce hardly any seeds.The plants look lush and healthy from the outside. Monsanto has offered compensation. Monsanto blames the failure of the three varieties of corn planted on these farms, in three South African provinces,on alleged 'underfertilisation processes in the laboratory". Some 280 of the 1,000 farmers who planted the three varieties of Monsanto corn this year, have reported extensive seedless corn problems. Urgent investigation demanded However environmental activitist Marian Mayet, director of the Africa-centre for biosecurity in Johannesburg, demands an...

"Some small farms and organic food growers could be placed under direct supervision of the federal government under new legislation making its way through Congress.... Our friends in Iraq are also looking at Seed Nazis controlling their family gardens...barf, gag, bleech... "Iraqi Order 81 was implemented in 2005 by Paul Bremer and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). It promptly made criminals and terrorists of Iraqi family farmers. The order is pre-emptive seed legislation written by and for American agri-business. It prevents Iraqi farmers from saving their seed, which they have done for generations. Instead, all of their saved seed was...

Mr Ure writes: "...I am really ragging on folks to get - plant - and begin harvesting their own seed supplies for future food crops from open-pollinated, heritage (non-genetically modified) vegetable seeds. ...it would be prudent to buy a large supply of open pollinated seed now, before these seeds become is short supply. ... ...'terminator seed technology' and at the core of that monstrosity are seeds which would only live once and yield nothing edible in future crops. Sort of like fields of eunuchs.... ...The problem which always faces those at the top of the socioeconomic heap is that they...

“Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bands.” — Thomas Jefferson, Aug. 23, 1785 Thomas Jefferson was a firm believer in the art of growing plants, the wealth of knowledge that flora can offer and the self-sufficiency acquired by honing such skills. In 2009, we might want to take a look back at gardening in order to move forward. During World War I and World War II, the United...

While reading the food section of the afternoon edition of the newspaper, I came across a comment about "heirloom" seeds--not their qualities or anything, but just a suggestion that one hoard a few in a general pantry. Now, I was born and raised alongside the Platte River of Nebraska, farming country (and then as a teenager, the Sandhills of Nebraska, ranching country), and so matters agricultural and horticultural are not exactly alien things to me. But on the Head of St. John the Baptist, I must say the first time I ever saw the term "heirloom seeds" was when I...

Daniel Skotnick agriculture advisor, and Abdullah Al Asoum, economic bi-lingual, bi-cultural advisor with embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team Baghdad-5, speak with a farmer in Abernisha Village, northwest of Baghdad, July 13. Two tons of hybrid maize seed were donated to help rebuild IraqÂ’s agriculture and infrastructure. Photo by Pfc. Lyndsey Dransfield. CAMP TAJI â€” The Fertile Crescent portion of Iraq is notorious for its strong agricultural heritage throughout history. It has long blessed residents and their livestock with a plethora food.Unfortunately, in recent history investments and resources were diverted away from farming and food production, leaving Iraq's agricultural resources in utter...

Seed swapping Q. I have a backyard vegetable/fruit/herb garden, and every year I wind up with lots of leftover seeds, more than I can possibly plant next time around, yet throwing them away seems like an awful waste. Is there any established way to share, trade, or recycle seeds? - Jacey, WY A. Absolutely. Seed-sharing has been an officially time-honored tradition since at least 1989, when Canada and Britain founded their respective “Seedy Saturday” and “Seedy Sunday” swaps. And in the US, the last Saturday in January is “National Seed Swap Day,” so start saving your seeds up for January...

On a windswept Arctic island 1000 kms from the North Pole, a group of Norwegian engineers and scientists have been constructing a gigantic seed bank inside a frozen mountain. To be managed by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, a group dedicated to the ongoing diversity of plants through a variety of genetic strains, the International Seed Bank will open this week. Known as the Doomsday vault, the seed bank has the capacity to hold 4.5 million batches of seeds from all known varieties of the planet's main food crops -- more than "...twice as many varieties of agricultural crops as...

10/5/2006 - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AFPN) -- Retired Lt. Col. James and Ellie Spatafora possess a unique answer to a common question couples are quizzed about. When asked where they met, they answer that the seeds of their 56-year marriage were planted during the historic Berlin Airlift. The couple was able to catch up on old times with friends during a Berlin Airlift plaque dedication at Veterans Memorial Park here Oct. 4. More than 150 people attended the dedication, which was one of numerous events held during the weeklong reunion of the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association. The Berlin Airlift was a...

Seeds 200 years old breathe again By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News website The unknown acacia species is now half a metre tall Seeds which have been stored away since the time of George III have been persuaded into new life. Scientists from the Millennium Seed Bank, operated by the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, have induced seeds from three species to germinate. They had been brought to Britain from South Africa by a Dutch merchant in 1803, and were found in a notebook stored in the National Archives. Given this history, the team said it was surprised by...

U.S. Army Capt. Michael Baka, from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, speaks with a local man about his concerns during a patrol in Adhamiyah, Aug. 28. Baka is conducting an operation in Adhamiyah jointly with Iraqi Army Soldiers from 1st Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division and 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division. Department of Defense photo by Navy Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Keith W. DeVinney. In July, the news editor’s old axiom “If it bleeds it leads” was tragically justified by record-setting violence in the streets of Baghdad. The increase in daily attacks and civilian deaths led...

OSLO, Norway (AP) -- It sounds like something from a science fiction film -- a doomsday vault carved into a frozen mountainside on a secluded Arctic island ready to serve as a Noah's Ark for seeds in case of a global catastrophe....

April 28, 2006Cornell study of ancient volcano, seeds and tree rings, suggests rewriting Late Bronze Age Mediterranean history By Alex Kwan Separated in history by 100 years, the seafaring Minoans of Crete and the mercantile Canaanites of northern Egypt and the Levant (a large area of the Middle East) at the eastern end of the Mediterranean were never considered trading partners at the start of the Late Bronze Age. Until now. Trenchmaster Vronwy Hankey and foreman Antonis Zidianakis excavate storage jars from the Minoan settlement Myrtos-Pyrgos. The jars were analyzed in the Cornell study using radiocarbon analyses. Cultural links between...

Post-Katrina trip brings 8 jobs after 'bad seeds' act up Thursday, October 27, 2005 By SUSAN DAKER Staff Reporter The bus trip that took more than 50 people from Mobile to New Orleans to seek jobs resulted in about eight deciding to work there, according to state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures. Figures, D-Mobile, said this week that she would not be helping send anyone else to New Orleans since most jobs are being reserved for people from Louisiana. Also, some of the people on the Oct. 11 Mobile bus trip were responsible for a disturbance that caused the Mobile contingent...

I want to do an article about B-17, in it I want to cover both apricot trees and seeds and grape seeds, two high sources of B-17, from what I have learned so far. I'm pretty well set on the Apricot part, but need info on where to get organic grape plants and how do you plant and care for them in the foothills of the White Mountains in Maine. temp ranges of 100 above zero to 45 below zero.Any help would be greatly appreciated.ThanksJakeChristian-news-in-maine.com

EAST HADDAM -- Around town - and as far away as Tennessee - people are wondering why federal agents seized datashak plants and seeds and 19 computer discs from a Muslim campground in Moodus. First Selectman Brad Parker said Friday's raid on the 18-acre Town Street campground, owned by Darul Uloom Shady Brook Inc., has the town abuzz. FBI agents and officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted the raid. "Out on the street, people don't think that [the federal government] would go to that effort for a spinach plant," Parker said. A Tennessee-based blog called "Ginny's Thoughts and...

The Seeds of Civilization Why did humans first turn from nomadic wandering to villages and togetherness? The answer may lie in a 9,500-year-old settlement in central Turkey Since researchers first began digging at Catalhoyuk (pronounced "Chah-tahl-hew-yook") in the 1960s, they've found more than 400 skeletons under the houses, which are clustered in a honeycomb-like maze. Burying the dead under houses was common at early agricultural villages in the Near East-at Catalhoyuk, one dwelling alone had 64 skeletons. Archaeologist Ian Hodder and his colleagues are also working to decipher paintings and sculptures found at Catalhoyuk. The surfaces of many houses are...

What?" says Los Angeles Angels equipment manager Ken Higdon. "There's always enough of those." Correction: There always was enough of those. This summer, producers are squeezing together all of their resources -- and still plan to ration what they have to make it through the season. There is a chance some players and coaches actually will be forced to play the game this summer with no seeds at all in their mouths. "It's a possibility," says John Sandbakken, director of international marketing at the National Sunflower Assn. in Bismarck, N.D. "Our farmers didn't have a very good crop last year,...

An Austrian driver has lost his license because he failed a drug test after eating a dish containing poppyseeds. Wolfgang L, 39, had his license withdrawn when a test showed traces of morphine in his urine. But he denies drug abuse, saying he had recently eaten mohnnudeln, an Austrian speciality consisting of noodles, poppyseeds and fruit. Reinhard Fous, head police doctor in Vienna, told the Kronenzeitung the man 'wasn't under the influence of drugs' since his blood test came back negative. Yet, the traces of morphine in his urine showed he wasn't fit to drive, the doctor argued. But fellow...

Tests Show U.S. Failure to Block Contamination From Gene-Altered Varieties Much of the U.S. supply of ordinary crop seeds has become contaminated with strands of engineered DNA, suggesting that current methods for segregating gene-altered seed plants from traditional varieties are failing, according to a pilot study released yesterday. More than two-thirds of 36 conventional corn, soy and canola seed batches contained traces of DNA from genetically engineered crop varieties in lab tests commissioned by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington-based advocacy group. The actual amount of foreign DNA present in U.S. seeds appears to be small, and most engineered...